Causes of bipolar disorder
Causes of bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is a psychological disorder which affects primarily the moods of an individual and thus the behaviour. Simply put, an individual with a Bipolar disorder experiences mood swings that fluctuate between polar opposites – Mania and Depression. In a manic episode the person experiences euphoria, extreme happiness, optimism, hyper-activity, restlessness, rapid speech etc. During a depressive episode the person is lethargic and low in energy, irritable and short tempered, has reduced appetite, constant tiredness, increased sleep etc. In severe cases of Bipolar disorder, there may be psychotic symptoms like hallucinations and delusions present, along with suicidal ideations during depressive episodes. Bipolar disorder can be very debilitating for the person. It can affect every area of the individual’s life and make it difficult to maintain normal relationships with family and friends, continue in a job or even function independently. Thus it becomes important to understand the causes of Bipolar disorder in order to take the appropriate preventive steps or make the right interventions. Like many other psychological conditions, the causes of Bipolar disorder are also not known. There are many theories about what could be probable causes of Bipolar disorder, but scientists and researchers are unable to point to any one specific cause. It is now considered that the causes of Bipolar disorder are both biological and psychological. One of the most common factors listed in the causes of Bipolar disorder are genetic factors. Studies have found that children of parents with Bipolar disorder are at much higher risk of developing the condition, which is to say first degree relatives of those with Bipolar disorder are at direct risk. However while genes have been implicated as a cause of Bipolar disorder, twin studies have shown that while one twin may have Bipolar disorder the other may not develop it even though they share the same genes. Another of the causes of Bipolar disorder is brain functioning. The neurotransmitters in the brain have been researched and a link has been found to exist between mood disorders and neurotransmitters. Studies show that an imbalance of the chemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine can be a cause of Bipolar disorder. Apart from the chemicals, the brain structure itself has been identified as being different in those with Bipolar disorder. Apart from biological factors, environmental factors may also cause Bipolar disorder. Stress triggers are also considered to play a pivotal role in the development of Bipolar disorder. These stressors can be anything including loss of a job, death in the family, divorce, moving houses, birth of a child etc. However since everyone has different thresholds of tolerating stress, each person will be affected by different stressors.